Ask Hult-Dubai: Official Admission Query thread featuring Hult's Admissions Director

[2008mba]

Originally Posted by Admissions@Hult

Hello!
Students can apply for OPT to start up to 60 days from graduation. For example, if you graduate on Aug 22, you can start the OPT on October 21 and the OPT will be valid for 12 months which eliminates the gap. You can use up to 60 days to do your job search, travel withing U.S. etc.
I hope this helps.
Kind regards,
Tate

Thanks a ton

But what if we do have a job before graduation ? How to tackle that ?

Scene 1 - We have to apply for OPT about 3 months before graduation. Suppose we put a start date as On Graduation. And in those 3 months , we dont find a job. So then OPT gap will happen? How to tackle that?

Scene 2 - We have to apply for OPT about 3 months before graduation. Suppose we put a start date as Oct 21 as you stated. What if we find a job in those 3 months after applying for OPT. We cannot start till Oct . How to tackle that?

Thanks again
Waiting for your urgent response

[shaaz4MBA]

Hi Tate,

Please follow the following link:

http://www.pagalguy.com/forum/intern...ool-ma-18.html (Hult International business school MA boston student taking questions)

Please let everyone know your views about the points mentioned here!

Regards,
Shaaz.

[Admissions@Hult]

Originally Posted by 2008mba

Thanks a ton

But what if we do have a job before graduation ? How to tackle that ?

Scene 1 - We have to apply for OPT about 3 months before graduation. Suppose we put a start date as On Graduation. And in those 3 months , we dont find a job. So then OPT gap will happen? How to tackle that?

Scene 2 - We have to apply for OPT about 3 months before graduation. Suppose we put a start date as Oct 21 as you stated. What if we find a job in those 3 months after applying for OPT. We cannot start till Oct . How to tackle that?

Thanks again
Waiting for your urgent response

Hello Again!

Scene 1- There is a 60 day grace period when the OPT is completed. During this time, even on the 59th day, you can change your visa status- in your case from F-1 or J-1 to H-1

Scene 2- You cannot move your OPT start date back or forward once applied. If a company wants you then they will have to wait- they usually do. Many students take at least a month off after completing an intensive one year MBA.

Finally, an international student might have to juggle some dates and be flexible when applying and during the OPT. However, overall the OPT is an excellent opportunity for international students to work and live in the US after studying.

I hope this helps.
Tate Jones

[2008mba]

Originally Posted by Admissions@Hult

Hello Again!

Scene 1- There is a 60 day grace period when the OPT is completed. During this time, even on the 59th day, you can change your visa status- in your case from F-1 or J-1 to H-1

Scene 2- You cannot move your OPT start date back or forward once applied. If a company wants you then they will have to wait- they usually do. Many students take at least a month off after completing an intensive one year MBA.

Finally, an international student might have to juggle some dates and be flexible when applying and during the OPT. However, overall the OPT is an excellent opportunity for international students to work and live in the US after studying.

I hope this helps.
Tate Jones

Thanks Tate -

Scene 1 - to be clear ,once OPT is completed - You cannot work for 2 months till oct ? Even tough we can change the visa status. How to tackle that ? How will company agree in the middle of some important project to give you 2 months off. This is a very real problem.

Scene 2 - If students do have to take 2 months off after their MBA, do they have to go back to their home country ? I think they cannot stay in USA legally ? Am i right ?
And if they cannot stay in USA legally, how can you say that they utilise these 2 months to find jobs. It seems contradictory.

Thanks a ton

[Admissions@Hult]

Originally Posted by 2008mba

Thanks Tate -

Scene 1 - to be clear ,once OPT is completed - You cannot work for 2 months till oct ? Even tough we can change the visa status. How to tackle that ? How will company agree in the middle of some important project to give you 2 months off. This is a very real problem.

Scene 2 - If students do have to take 2 months off after their MBA, do they have to go back to their home country ? I think they cannot stay in USA legally ? Am i right ?
And if they cannot stay in USA legally, how can you say that they utilise these 2 months to find jobs. It seems contradictory.

Thanks a ton

Hello,
I should have told you that I am not a visa expert from the beginning. However, I have been on the OPT once and I was simply sharing my experience with you. First of all, you have to be flexible when you are an international student. There will be obstacles ahead and you need to adapt and have an open mind- you are an international student and not a citizen of the US.
Regarding your questions, you don't have to go home during the change of status and while you are changing status you are in legal standing. Hult's Career Services team invites an immigration lawyer to do a presentation on OPT, H1-B and Green Cards and the Student Services team will conduct workshops on OPTs as well. As you can see our students will have many resources available.
I hope this helps.
Thank you,
Tate Jones

[Admissions@Hult]

Originally Posted by shaaz4MBA

Hi Tate,

Please follow the following link:

http://www.pagalguy.com/forum/intern...ool-ma-18.html (Hult International business school MA boston student taking questions)

Please let everyone know your views about the points mentioned here!

Regards,
Shaaz.

Hello Shaaz,

First of all, this is a forum and everyone is entitled to their opinion. I cannot tell you if Hult is the right MBA program for you- only you will know this. I recommend that you do your research and like most things in life to follow your heart. Regarding the cost, we are an U.S. MBA. As you know, the MBA was conceived in the U.S and therefore is considered more prestigious. You cannot really compare the price of an U.S. and European/Asia MBA program. However, if there was ever a time to do an U.S. MBA then now is the time (weak dollar).

Secondly, we do have satisfied alumni AND Hult is a top ranked b-school- 22nd in the U.S. 39th in the world- according to the Economist Intelligence Unit. Hult has been around since 1964 and is fully accredited by NEASC and AMBA. We have a campus in Boston, Dubai and a satellite campus in Shanghai. We will also add a campus in London in 2009.

Lastly, comparing us to SP Jain is inaccurate as our average work experience is 6 years. We do not accept freshers- our candidates must have at least 3 years of full time work experience by the time the program commences. This is something the admissions committee values greatly- including the employers. We are also an U.S accredited program and not an Indian program.

Thank you,
Tate

[2008mba]

Originally Posted by Admissions@Hult

Hello,
I should have told you that I am not a visa expert from the beginning. However, I have been on the OPT once and I was simply sharing my experience with you. First of all, you have to be flexible when you are an international student. There will be obstacles ahead and you need to adapt and have an open mind- you are an international student and not a citizen of the US.
Regarding your questions, you don't have to go home during the change of status and while you are changing status you are in legal standing. Hult's Career Services team invites an immigration lawyer to do a presentation on OPT, H1-B and Green Cards and the Student Services team will conduct workshops on OPTs as well. As you can see our students will have many resources available.
I hope this helps.
Thank you,
Tate Jones

thanks
this means that if we are graduating in aug 2009, we can put a start date for OPT as oct 2009 and can stay legally in usa till oct 2009 ?
but on what visa status because f1 expires in aug 2009 and opt starts in oct 2009 ?

also can we put any date on the OPT start date ... even a date 5 - 6 months after graduation?

thanks

[Admissions@Hult]

Originally Posted by 2008mba

thanks
this means that if we are graduating in aug 2009, we can put a start date for OPT as oct 2009 and can stay legally in usa till oct 2009 ?
but on what visa status because f1 expires in aug 2009 and opt starts in oct 2009 ?

also can we put any date on the OPT start date ... even a date 5 - 6 months after graduation?

thanks

Hello,

1. F-1

2. 60 days from program end date is the maximum.

Please links on Student Visas:

Student Visas

Optional Practical Training

I will not be answering anymore specific OPT questions.

Regards,
Tate

[Mits1982]

Hello Mr. Jones,

Good day to you..

I am throughly convinced about the HULT Course content and its standings in the EIU rankings..

However, I am a little concerned about the pilot batch in Dubai.. as stated in the Hult curriculum. students are embarked on a management consultant projects.. please let me know as to what companies have been on your current list..

Also, if you can throw some light on the POST MBA scenario of working in the Gulf country.. and approximat compensation figures..

Finally, what are the visa requirements after matriculation..

Regards,
Mits..

[Admissions@Hult]

Originally Posted by Mits1982

Hello Mr. Jones,

Good day to you..

I am throughly convinced about the HULT Course content and its standings in the EIU rankings..

However, I am a little concerned about the pilot batch in Dubai.. as stated in the Hult curriculum. students are embarked on a management consultant projects.. please let me know as to what companies have been on your current list..

Also, if you can throw some light on the POST MBA scenario of working in the Gulf country.. and approximat compensation figures..

Finally, what are the visa requirements after matriculation..

Regards,
Mits..

Dear Mits,

Hult has replaced the Management Consulting Project with a competitive Action Learning Program. This now represents the capstone experience for all MBA students (whether in Boston or Dubai) in the final module of our one-year degree program.
This year there are five client firms who have five consulting teams of five students each advising them separately and in competition with each other, on strategies for innovation and growth: three are international ‘blue chips’, one is a recently listed ‘startup’ and the other is an energy consulting firm. Over the intensive 6-7 week period before graduation, MBA teams will gather evidence, reach conclusions, and make recommendations to senior management.

The benefit to the corporate client is that they get to see the presentations of the best ideas of 25 Hult MBAs all at the same time. They also can see for themselves the best and brightest, as potential recruits to their companies. Apart from the experience of ‘learning by doing’ on a live project with a real client, the benefit to the team member is the opportunity to integrate and test accumulated knowledge across the various subject areas of the Hult MBA program, and to be exposed to the senior management of a potential future employer.
Dubai Salary Guides (monthly in AED)
http://www.hays.ae/salary-overviews.aspx
http://www.charterhouseme.ae/pages/show/id/10
*Dubai is tax free- what you earn is what you get*

Hult Dubai students will be on student visas during their year and after gradation will be given a grace period of 30 days. Students will be able to change their student visas to working visas during this time providing they have a sponsor i.e. employer. Dubai is built on expats,meaning 94% of the population is on working visas. MBA students should begin their job search with the help of Hult's Career Services team as soon as they're in the classroom in Dubai- or even before. The idea is to secure a position before graduation so it's a smooth transition. If students delay the job search until then they will have 30 days to seek a position before returning to their home country. Processing working visas in the UAE is stress free when compared to the U.S.

Regards,
Tate Jones